Teen Dies Trying to Save Cats From Fire

[Amused]

Teen Dies Trying to Save Cats From Fire
AP
CAMBRIDGE, Ill. (Jan. 7) - A teenager is being hailed as a hero for saving his aunt from a fire at their house, but he lost his own life when he went back into the burning building to search for the family's two cats, authorities say.

Seth A. DeShane, 14, was pronounced dead late Thursday at the family home, which was destroyed in the fire.

"He really saved his aunt," said the Rev. Kris Dietzen, pastor at Cambridge Lutheran Church. "He woke his aunt up and told her the Christmas tree was on fire.

"He got her out of the house. She thought he (Seth) was behind her, but he went back inside."

Dietzen said that when Seth's aunt realized the boy had gone back inside, she tried to get back in herself, but by then the smoke was so thick and the fire so intense, she had to leave the house.

"She ran to a neighbor's farm, and they proceeded to call 911," Dietzen said.

The fire is being blamed on malfunctioning lights on the Christmas tree on the first floor, Chief Edward Bole of the Cambridge Fire Department said. The front half of the two-story home was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived.

 

[Inspector Jihad]

🙁

 

[daniel1113]

Sad to hear, especially after he was able to help is Aunt. However, attempting to save animals during a dangerous house fire is rarely a good decision.

 

[KarmaPolice]

very sad. I have a dog and i am sorry if the fire was really bad...I would not go back for him. I love my dog but if my dog dies my family would be upset and so would I...if I did my parents would be destroyed.

 

[Conky]

Very sad. It would be hard to resist saving your pets in a situation like that.

 

[theeedude]

Don't let perfect be the enemy of good is the lesson here. Should have left the door open, and break the windows from the outside and let cats try to escape themselves.

 

[theprodigalrebel]

Wow, he must have really loved his pets. Poor kid.

 

[TruePaige]

=(

 

[RbSX]

That kid is my brothers age, if my brother dragged me out and went back for the pets and he died, I would hate myself for not being stronger, and for him to go back in after the animals.

I couldn't imagine losing my brother like that.

 

[Journer]

sucks...should have left the cats...proof cats are evil! haha j/k
























dogs rule 🙂

 

[Perknose]

That young man died doing what he loved and living up to his highest ideals. :thumbsup:

I don't feel sorry for him, but rather for the bloated, useless cowards lingering on, contributing nothing, and unable to escape the searing self-knowledge that they have wasted their lives, no matter how long they have managed to keep breathing.

 

[0roo0roo]

cats were probably hiding.

 

[CrackRabbit]

I love my kitties, but if it came down to it they would diaf before I would.

 

[Compton]

Thats sad, but I wouldn't die for a cat.

 

[amicold]

🙁

 

[HardcoreRobot]

at least he went for the human first

 

[amdskip]

Yeah I read that in the QC times, so sad🙁

 

[BillyBatson]

that sucks, he did die a hero though

 

[doze]

I wouldn't let my dog DIAF, but he would also probably follow me out the door. Dogs may be dumb but they aren't stupid enough to stick around when something bad is going on, they take off running.

 

[JSFLY]

I can't believe the cat's wouldn't save themselves. I mean they have such great sense of smell right? If they smelled fire wouldn't the first thing they do is get the hell out of there?

 

[Aikouka]

That kind of reminds me of the story of the dog who woke up his owner in a fire and led her out, but died after going back in to save the owner's cat. Crazy that a dog would do that :Q.

Definitely a heroic thing to do, but it's still dumb to put yourself in jeopardy for an animal.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: JSFLY
I can't believe the cat's wouldn't save themselves. I mean they have such great sense of smell right? If they smelled fire wouldn't the first thing they do is get the hell out of there?

Cats will move away from a fire, yes. But they do not understand the need to escape the house. Only to escape the fire. So they will back away from it until trapped.

 

[Atheus]

Originally posted by: Aikouka
That kind of reminds me of the story of the dog who woke up his owner in a fire and led her out, but died after going back in to save the owner's cat. Crazy that a dog would do that :Q.

Cat was probably a rare catsteak by then and the dog just wanted to eat it 😉

 

[Toastedlightly]

Originally posted by: Atheus

Originally posted by: Aikouka
That kind of reminds me of the story of the dog who woke up his owner in a fire and led her out, but died after going back in to save the owner's cat. Crazy that a dog would do that :Q.

Cat was probably a rare catsteak by then and the dog just wanted to eat it 😉

Asain dog?

 

[Number1]

Originally posted by: Perknose
That young man died doing what he loved and living up to his highest ideals. :thumbsup:

I don't feel sorry for him, but rather for the bloated, useless cowards lingering on, contributing nothing, and unable to escape the searing self-knowledge that they have wasted their lives, no matter how long they have managed to keep breathing.

You sound depressed.